Cadillac ATS named Luxury Car of the Year by Popular Mechanics

The first 2013 Cadillac ATS rolls off the production line at the Lansing Grand River GMC plant in July.Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

Add another trophy to the case: the all-new Cadillac ATS
has been named the 2013 Luxury Car of the Year by Popular Mechanics magazine.

“The ATS was developed as an all-new, ground-up approach to deliver a segment-winning vehicle,” Don Butler, vice president of Cadillac Marketing, said in a statement. “Because of this, it is rewarding to be recognized by one of the premier publications for science, technology, and automotive innovation.”

"The verdict? When the ATS is equipped with its 321-hp V-6, top FE3 suspension, Magnetic Ride Control damping (just like the Corvette), and Brembo brakes, it can perform with as much poise and confidence as its rivals--perhaps more," the review reads. "Yes, it's that good."

"We're not just going to be successful," he
said, "we're going to beat the competition."

News of the honor is exciting for workers at the plant, said spokeswoman Erin Davis.

"The new
Cadillac ATS represents an investment in Lansing, Michigan and our workforce," she said in an email. "This is a car with a mission to create a new entryway into the Cadillac brand
for luxury car drivers and is a compelling new challenger to how things
currently stand in the luxury car segment."